November Mourning Moon

November Mourning Moon by Christine Moonflower

Also known as: Beaver Moon, Tree Moon, Frost Moon, Fog Moon, Snow Moon, Owl Moon, Trading Moon, Mad Moon, Dark Moon and Moon of Storms
* Colors: Gray, blues, browns,
* Scents: Cedar, sage, pumpkin pie, cinnamon, cloves
* Gemstones: Lapis lazuli, turquoise, topaz, apache tear
* Trees: Cypress, alder, hazel
* Gods: Bastet, Isis, Kali, Hecate, Astarte Hecate, Osiris, Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Skadi, Nicnevin, Mawu
* Herbs: Thistle, betony, fennel, chrysanthemum, verbena, borage, mugwort, patchouli
* Foods: Left over foods from the harvest, corn, squash, pumpkins, root vegetables, garlic, potatoes, carrots, turnips, onions. Smoked meats, wild game, wild birds
* Element: Water
The Mourning Moon is the Moon following the October Blood Moon. It gets its name for its proximity to the Sabbat Samhain, and for the fact that this is very much a time of death and a time to mourn, not only your Beloved Dead, the harvest’s end, and nature’s descent into darkness, but it is a time to mourn for seeds sown that never came to fruition, goals that were never accomplished, the plans that never worked out, the relationships that have ended and the parts of ourselves that you have or must let go of in order to change and renew.

The mourning moon comes at a time between times, a great transition and shift of energy; we are coming down from the activity of the harvest and the celebrations of Samhain and entering the joyous time of rebirth at Yule. Many of us have over indulged in either in too much food or drink, in too much time and energy spent planning celebrations and rituals and have spent too much time working in the underworld and on the astral. We may find ourselves a bit out of sorts and a bit out of balance. Now, is the time to step back a little, to retreat to curl up, covered in a blanket, around a roaring fire, to sip tea and eat your favorite warming, comfort foods and to just take a moment for ourselves. Now, is the time to really think upon the lessons learned this year. Now, is the time to take stock and to release any negative thoughts, feelings and emotions. Now, is the time to let go of any regrets, to right any wrongs and forgive and free yourself from anger or disappointments. The Mourning Moon is the perfect time to cut ties with people in your life that are no longer needed or wanted, it is the perfect time to cut ties with those who are toxic and destructive. It is also the perfect time to really nurture positive relationships, to strengthen bonds with family and friends and to celebrate life.

At this great change and transition it is easy for us to get a little lost in the approaching darkness, to be a bit consumed by it. We may feel gloomy, depressed, or irritable, and we may experience low energy. We may wade the dark waters of our soul, we may mourn for pieces of ourselves we may feel is lost to us; we may mourn our youth, and fight against the passage of time. It’s is important to allow for these feelings and to experience your own darkness. Let these emotions and thoughts fill you, experience them then let them go. You are in the process of being reborn; you are shedding your old skin like a snake. You are giving up the old to make room for the new. Give yourself time to mourn, to think, to go inward to work on yourself, to have some time for yourself, then emerge renewed and experience life again. Host a get together, go skiing, go to a green house and see living plants again. Pick out a few to decorate your house and to remind you of life in the darkness.

The Mourning Moon is a time to pause, to reflect and to plan ahead. To most Witches and Pagans Samhain heralds in the New Year. This time is a strange unformed time, a space between times when anything is possible but there are also many uncertainties. It is important to really think about what you want to attract in the New Year, what energy you want to draw near, what goals do you want to set, what energies do you want to take root. It is a time to prepare for these energies, to make room for them. It is a great time to mentally prepare and plan your future harvests, to create future abundance and is an excellent time for money and prosperity spells.

This Moon gets the name Beaver Moon from the traps that were set to catch beavers in order to obtain their warm fur. November was a good time to do this because the rivers and swamps were not yet frozen. Also at this time beavers were actively preparing for Winter and can be seen more often. This reflects in our own life as we busily prepare for the coldest and darkest time of the year.

This moon gets the name Frost Moon, Fog Moon, Snow Moon, and Moon of Storms because of what is going on in nature. By now the harvests are in, the fruits have been preserved, the veggies canned, the herds thinned and the wild game hunted and their meat smoked and preserved. The skies are a flat and s calm, bleak gray, filled with storms, the weather fluctuates between wind and rains and snow, which accumulates quickly and melts, creating a muddy, wet and wilted mess. The first frost has passed, and now it freezes almost every night. The fields lay fallow. The trees once decorated in all of Autumn’s glorious colors are now barren and their skeletal branches dance in the breeze as they put down roots. The Earth is bathed in an ever increasing darkness and blanketed with snow. She is sleeping underneath, resting, rejuvenating, healing and dreaming. Now is the perfect time to rest, to rejuvenate and to heal. It is also a great time to work with dream magick to start a dream journal, to learn how to interpret your dreams, and to make dream pillows.

The longer time spent inside also makes this a perfect time to work on all matters of home and hearth, to prepare and repair. Have you winterized your house? Now, is also a great time to work with hearth magick and fire magick, to bless and make candles and to make useful and creative crafts. It is a great time to make Hex Signs, charms of house hold blessing, protection and prosperity, embroider, knit, sew and perform Kitchen Witchery. It is also a good time to study and learn something new, and is an excellent time to strengthen your connection with deity the thin veil at the Mourning Moon makes it a great time for astral travel, divination and psychic work of any kind. . It is also a great time to perform protection magick, to do magick working with removing obstacles, and to banish illness.

Be mindful of your health throughout the Mourning Moon, do not allow yourself to get run down, get plenty of sleep, eats lots of warm nutritious foods, and drink teas and eat foods that strengthen your immunity. It is also advised that though this is a time of rain and snow the humidity in your house is usually pretty low, studies have shown that the humidity in your house can actually be lower than that of the Sierra Desert; this is largely due to your heaters constant dry heat. A good remedy for this is to run a humidifier in your home, the humidifier will help prevent microscopic cuts from forming in your lungs allowing for a place for bacteria and viruses to enter and multiply.

At the Mourning Moon let your mind and spirit wander around the Moon’s cold surface, let yourself contemplate the darkness that she lights and all the ends and new beginnings of this time. Spend sometime in the darkness, experiencing its mysteries and let g0. Make room for her bright light and set goals and look forward to the future. Spend some time in doors working on projects and learning new skills. Spend some time with family and friends, strengthening bonds and be mindful and count all the abundance blessings in your life. Blessed Be!

“Salute the Moon in Her snowy whiteness and breathe in the coolness of Her light. Become as still as this Winter night and know that the activity of the warm light months is behind us. Ahead are the dark months of the year. The spirit is most active when the body is most still.” ~ Pauline Campanelli, Wheel of the Year.

Everyday Moon Magic Dorothy Morrison
Moon Magic DJ Conway
Wheel of the Year Pauline Campanelli

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